Molding machine



W. H. NI'CHOLLS.

MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLLCATION FILED Nov, 22, 1920.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

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MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1920.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. NICHOLLS, OF BROOKLYN, NE'W' YORK.

MGLDI NG MACHINE.

Application filed. November 22,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, VrLLmi H. NicrronLs, a citizen or the United States, and resident or the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improve ments in Molding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for forming molds andhas for its general object the provision of means for jolting or jarring the sand in a flask or flaskmeinbei', squeezing or compressing the drawing the pattern from the mold or mold section, during a single operation of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a molding machine having two relatively movable pressure heads for pressing the sand about the pattern in the flask or fiask members and a pneumatic means carried by one of'the pressure heads for automatically drawing the pattern when the pressure heads are separated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a molding machine having a reciprocable ask supporting member a normally stationary pressure head adapted to be swung laterally into and out of the path of the flask supporting member, a pneumatic pattern drawing means being carried by said pressure head and adapted to be engaged by the pattern or pattern plate when the flask support is moved toward the pressure head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a molding machine of the squeeze-r type having a pneumatic pressure head adapted to be engaged by the pattern plate and to hold and draw said plate from the mold upon separation or" the pressure head and mold.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus partly in vertical section;

Fig. 2 a horizontal sectional view of the main air control valve taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view of the main air control valve;

Fig. 4 a detail sectional view showing the manner of packing the main piston;

Fig. 5 a plan view or" the apparatus, the normally stationary pressure head being shown swung laterally;

Specification of Letters Patent.

1920. Serial No. 425,790.

Fig. (5 a vertical sectional view of the normally stationary pressure head and its air control valve;

Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. (3 showing the flask and pattern plate separated; and

8 a detailed sectional view of the air control valve for the normally stationary pressure head.

In the embodiment of the invention illus trated in the drawings, the base 1 of the machine is formed at its upper end with a cylinder 2 having an open upper end. A large hollow piston3having an open upper end is adapted to reciprocate vertically in the cylinder 2 and is formed with a small central cylinder at. The cylinder rhas an open upper end and a port 5 communicating with he interior of the hollow piston 3. A small jolt piston 6 is adapted to reciprocate vertic-ally in the cylinder -l relatively to the main piston and said jolt piston is rigidly held to the under side oi a pressure head or flask support 7 which normally rests on the upper end of the piston Brackets 8 and 8 extend horizontally ii-or. opposite sides of thecylinder 2 and i it for controlling the supply of fluid pressu to the cylinders 2 and 4; is mounted on th. bracket 8. This controlling valve comprises a horizontally divided two-part casing 9 in which is mounted a rotatable valve disk 10 having two recesses 11 and 12 in the under side thereof and two pairs of oppositel disposed lugs 13 on the upper side thereof. Th alve disk 'is adapted to be rotated by means of a handle l lfived on the upper end or a valve stem 15, the lower end of which is formed with oppositely extending arms 16 which engage between the pairs of lugs 13 on the valve disk. A spring 17 coiled about the valve stem serves to press the valve disk upon its seat. The valve casing is provided with four openings l8, 19, 20, and 2]. extending through the bottom thereof. The'opening 1S communicates with a flexible pipe 22 connect d with a pipe 22 which extends through the jolt piston 6 and communicates with the interior of the small cylinder 4-. The opening 19 communicates with an air supply pipe 23 connected with a suitable source of compressed air. he opening 20 communicates with a pipe 2i leading to a recess 25 in the bottom of the inder 2. The opening 21 leads to the atmosphere and preferably has a pet cock boss 32 formed on the bracket 8 26 threaded therein to regulate the amount or rate of the exhaust. In order to prevent leakage past the large or squeezing piston 3 said piston is formed with a circumferential channel 27 in which is seated a split packing ring 28 preferably formed with .a V- shaped channel 29 in its inner side. Air under pressure is admit-ted from the cylinder 2 into channel 27 at the inner side of the packing ring 28 through a plurality of passages 30.

An upright post 31 is rigidly held in a 33 is rigidly held to the post 31 adjacent the upper end of the post, and a laterally swinging arm 34 is pivotally held at one end to the post between said collar 33 and a collar 35 which is locked on the post by a nut 36. A vertically extending rod 37 is rigidly held at its upper end by nuts 38 to the free end of arm 34. The lower portion of rod 37 is adapted to engage in a slot or recess 39 formed in one side of a boss 40 on the bracket 8, and a nut 41 is threaded on the lower end of said rod and is adapted to engage under the boss 40 to resist upward pressure against the arm 34. The rod 37 and boss 40 serve also to limit the movement of arm 34 in one direction to arrest the upper pressure head at a point in register with the lower pressure head 7.

\ The u er ressure head or member comprises a rectangular block 42 rigidly held to the lower end or a screw 43 threaded through the arm 34 midway the ends of said arm. Formed in the head 42 is a cy lindrical chamber 44 which is open at its lower end on the face of the pressure head. Fitting and sliding snugly in the chamber 44 is a suction piston 45, said piston being secured to the lower end of a vertically extending piston rod 46, said rod passing upwardly through a central. bore in the screw 43. Secured to the upper end of the screw '43 above the arm 34 is a cylindrical casing 47 in which reciprocates a piston 48, said piston belng rigidly connected to the upper end of the piston rod 46. The lower face of the pressure head 42 is grooved to receive a sealing ring or gasket 49. Air supply pipes 50 and 51 lead to the inner ends of the cylinders 44 and 47 and these pipes are connected to an air control valve 52- mounted on the arm 34. The air control valve 52 comprises a two-part casing forming a valve chamber in which is arranged a rotatable disk valve 53 provided with re cesses 54 and.55 in its outer face. The valve casing is formed with two exhaust ports 56 and 57 which may be placed in communication with the pipes 50 and 51 by rotating the valve disk 53 to the proper position. air supply pipe 23 enters the valve casing and is adapted to he placed in communication with either of the pipes 50 or 51 by A collar means of the recesses 54 and 55. As shown in Fig. 6, the supply pipe 23 in communication with pipe 50 through recess 55, while pipe 51 is in communication with eX- haust passage 57 through recess 54. In Fig. 7 the positions of the ports are reversed and the supply pipe 23 is in communication with the pipe 51, pipe 50 being open to exhaust through the recess 55 and exhaust port 56. The ports 56 and 57 may be provided with pet cocks 58 to regulate the amount or rate of exhaust. The valve disk 53 is held to its seat by spring 59 and may the head of the hollow squeezing piston.

The post 62 is formed with a head 63 at its upper end which serves to prevent a'ccidental forcing ofsthe piston 3 out of the cylinder 2. The pressure head 7 and joit pis ton 6 are held against rotation by a pin 64 depending from the head 7 and passing through an aperture in a spider 65.

The mold frame 66 may be of any suit able construction. As shown, said frame comprises one section of the well-known interchangeable cope-and-drag, divided metallic flask having the usual lateral projections or handles 67 each of which is provided with a rigid upwardly extending pin 68. The usual bottom board 69 fits within the lower end of the mold frame or flask section 66. The pattern plate. 70 may be of any suitable material and is formed with the usual handle portions or lugs 71 each oi which is provided with, an aperture adapted to receive the pin 68. The patterns 7 2 are secured in the usual manner to the under side of the pattern platef To form a mold the flask and pattern are placed on the head 7 with the pattern plate resting on the head, and the flask is then filled with sand." The handle 14 is then turned to permit air to flow from the source of supply through the pipe 23, port 19, valve cavity 11, port 18 and pipe sections 22 and 22 into the small cylinder 4 beneath jolt piston 6. The piston 6 and head 7 will thus be elevated slightly until exhaust An described. The sand in the mold frame is thus jarred and evenly compaetedtherein. The surplus sand is then struck on level with the top of the flask and the board 69 put in place. The flask is then inverted or rolled over and placed upon head 7 with the bottom board 69 resting upon the head and the pattern plate resting upon the upper end of the flask, as shown in Fig. 1.. The arm 34 is then swung horizontally until rod 37 engages in slot 39 in the boss 40 formed on bracket 8.

This movement of the arm 34 carries pressure head 42 directly over the pressure head 7. The handle 14 is then turned to connect ports 19 and 20 through valve cavity 12, and thus admit air from the pipes 23 into the large cylinder 2 below squeezing piston 3 by way of pipe 24 and recess 25, whereupon piston 3 will be forced upwardly, carrying with it the head 7 and the mold frame. As the head 7 moves upwardly, the pattern plate will abut against the under face of the pressure head 42, compressing the sealing gasket 49 as shown in Fig. 6. The mold will be squeezed between the heads 7 and 42 and the bottom board 69 will be forced upwardly within the frame or flask section 66 firmly packing or ramming the sand about the patterns. IVhen the squeezing operation is completed handle 60 of the valve 52 is turned to admit air through pipe 51 into cylinder 47 below the piston 48. This will force the piston upwardly and draw inwardly and upwardly the piston thereby creating a vacuum, or partial vacuum, between the pattern plate, the sealing gasket 49 and the piston 45. This vacuum will be suflieiently high to cause the pattern plate to be tightly held against the pressure head 42. Handle 14 is then turned to connect 20 and 21 through cavity 12 to exhaust the air fron cylinder 2 through pet cook 26, whereupon the piston 3, head 7, and the flask frame 66 with the formed mold will move down wardly to their starting point. The pattern plate with the patterns attached thereto will be held to the under face of the head 42 because of the vacuum between the pattern plate and the piston 45, the sealing gasket 49 maintaining this vacuum so that the pattern plate will be held against the pressure head by atmospheric pressure. The patterns held to the pattern plate are thus drawn from the mold automatically when the pressure heads 7 and 42 are separated at completion of the squeezing operation. This operation is shown in Fig. 7. The operator then removes the flask. The head 42 and the arm 34 may be swung laterally to take the head 42 and the pattern plate out of alignment with the flask. WVhen it is desired to release the pattern plate from the pressure head it is only necessary to turn the handle to exhaust air from the cylinder 47 and admit air to the cylinder 44. This position of the valve is shown in Fig. 6.

- It will thus be seen that means have been provided whereby molds may be jolted and squeezed, and the patterns drawn therefrom and assembled with another mold frame with great rapidity.

What I claim is:

1. In a molding apparatus, the combination of relatively movable mold squeezing members, -means for imparting a relative movement between said members, and pneu matic means on one of said members for holding a pattern against movement rela tively to said member upon eparation of the squeezing members.

2. In a molding apparatus, the combination of a vertically reciprocable mold support, a pattern-drawing pressure head, a laterally shiftable support for said head, and vacuum forming means carried by said head and adapted to hold the pattern plate when the mold support is moved away from said pressure head.

3. In a molding apparatus, the combination of a pat-tern plate, relatively reciproca-ble mold squeezing members, andmeans for forming a vacuum between the pattern plate and one of said members whereby when said members are separated the pattern plate will be held to one of said members by atmospheric pressure.

4. In a molding apparatus, the combination of a reciprocable flask support, a moldsqueezing and pattern-drawing head, 'a swinging support for said head whereby the head may be shifted into and out of alignment with the flask support, a flask mounted on the flask support, pattern-holding means separably held to the flask, means for moving the flask support toward and from the head to squeeze a mold thereon, and opera tive means for creating a vacuum between the pattern-holding means and the pressure head whereby when the flask support is separated from the head the pattern-holding means will be held to the under side of the pressure head by atmospheric pressure. In a molding apparatus, the combination of relatively movable mold squeezing members, means for imparting a relative movement between said members, and means for forming a vacuum between one of said members and a pattern-holding plate, whereby said pattern-holding plate will be held against movement relatively to said member upon the separation of the members.

6. A mold squeezing and drawing apparatus comprising a pair of mold-squeezing members one of which is provided with a chamber in open communication with the working face thereof, means for moving one of said members toward and from the other, a piston reciprocable in said chamber, and means for moving said piston in opposite directions at will, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a mold-squeezing and pattern-drawing apparatus, the combination of a pressure and pattern-drawing head having a gasket in its working face adapted to seat against a pattern plate, said head having a chamber therein in open communication with the Working face of the head Within the gasket, a mold support, means for moving the mold support toward and from the working face of the head, a piston in said chamber, and means for moving said piston at Will in opposite directions to hold a pattern plate to the head by suction and to release said plate.

8. In a molding apparatus, the combination 01 a mold-frame support, a patternplate engaging head, means for imparting a relative reciprocable movement between said support and head to form a mold, a pair of aligned cylinders,pistons in said cylinders, means connecting the pistons to move in unison, a valve, and connections controlled by said valve for admitting and exhausting fluid pressure at adjacent faces of said pistons, said valve being provided with ports for exhausting each cylinder when pressure is admitted to the other cylinder, one of said cylinders being in communication at its outer end with the pattern-plateengaging face of the head, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix'my signature.

- WILLIAM H. N'ICHOLLS. 

